You're My Mortal Flaw
by royalcaroline
Summary: Clary is a runaway. After leaving the beautiful countryside of Idris, her brother, and villainous father, she makes her way to New York City where she hopes to find her mother. But when her father finds her in his quest for the Mortal Cup, things get messy and Clary will find out who she can trust. [CLACE - Love reviews!]
1. A Note From Me (:

**Hey everyone!**

**First of all, I want to say thank you to all of those who read, reviewed, followed, and favorited You're My Mortal Flaw. I loved writing it and giving that it was my first go at this, I felt that I was not doing it justice. So, I have decided to remove it and edit it. Rewrite it a bit, if you will. I promise to update this many times a week. With the last version, I did that in the beginning, but then I started losing my place and hitting blocks. So, when I went back and read it from the start, that is when I decided to start over and make it better.**

**I really do appreciate all the awesome support I got from everyone and I just wanted to make this story better, like it should have been from the start. Please if you like, or even if you hate it, give me a review and tell me what you think. If you don't feel comfortable posting as a review, I would love PMs and I promise to respond to every PM or review.**

**You guys are super awesome and I can't wait for you to read this version!**

**XO RC**

* * *

_**DISCLAIMER**_

_**I do not own The Mortal Instruments, they are all the amazing works of Cassandra Clare (: I also do not own the song from which I chose my title, that was written by Beth Crowley and it is a wonderful song.**_


	2. C1 And Then She Ran

"Father, will you please tell me what happened to my mother?" Clary's voice cracked on the last word. _Mother_, she thought. It was a word she did not use often or lightly. A word that made her heart hurt every time she said it. She missed her mother even though she had no memory of her.

The air became quickly strained between them. Her father's eyes drifting up from the documents spread around his desk to hers. "Clarissa, I am not getting into this with you again. It is the same thing every time." He shook his head in her direction, anger beginning to radiate from around him.

Against her better judgment, she ran to his side, falling to her knees. "Please, father," she begged him with tear-filled green eyes.

Suddenly, he raised the back of his hand to her, but stopped himself. He slowly put his hand down to the arm of the chair and pushed himself upward. "Clarissa, I will not speak of this again. She left you. She left me. Now, do not push me anymore!"

His hands came down hard on the desk causing Clary to jump backward. She dropped her head, tears now flowing freely. There she sat on the floor of the ominously large library, her back shoved up against a shelf of books. She had never felt more alone.

_I don't believe you_, her mind screamed loudly, but her words could not come out. Every time she asked him, her mind yelled louder. She couldn't understand how her mother would just up and leave her, and never come back for her. Her brother, Jonathan, on the other hand, she totally understood that. He was a monster.

"Clarissa, perhaps you should pull yourself together. I am going to meet Jonathan for his training session." His voice was cold and flat. He pushed himself away from the desk and farther away from her, moving emotionlessly toward the doors. "Go back to your room, little girl." And with that he was gone.

Once he was out of sight, she scrambled to her feet and threw herself out into the hallway. The voices of her father and brother floated through the long corridor up to her, along with the slam of the heavy front door as the exited their home and headed out to the back field.

She realized that this was her chance as she ran down the hall to her room, sliding into it and dropping to the floor, digging her nails into a crack in the floor boards. With as much force as she could muster, she ripped up the board to expose a box underneath. Quickly, she pulled the top off the black box to check the contents inside and replaced it as soon she made sure everything was accounted for.

And then she ran.

* * *

_"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking - in a little over ten minutes, we will begin our decent to JFK. New York is looking quite beautiful on this balmy June day."_

Clary's eyes flickered open as she rested her head against the thick window she was seated next to. She gazed down at the city below her, the city she had run to, taking it in as if she were just a normal mundane girl. A beautiful mess of tall skyscrapers and dirty streets, people moving every which way. Then she looked at it more closely, her eyes pushing through the glamour surrounding it to see her side of things.

She gripped her leather bag tightly as she pulled herself into the aisle. _This is it_, she thought quietly to herself, making her way out and away from the gate, throwing the strap of the bag across her body in the process.

As she made her way through the airport, she couldn't help but notice the eyes of every Downworlder fall on her as she passed them. She knew that they all knew what she was, but was extremely thankful that they didn't know who she was.

"Where to?" The cab driver blurted out as she slid into the backseat.

His face was dirty and slightly malformed causing Clary to realize that he was yet another Downworlder in her path. She had been in New York City for no longer than a half hour and she had already crossed paths with more Downworlders than she ever had when she was Idris. Granted, she was hidden away for her entire life, but she had been trained to know what every one "species" looked like since she was a small girl.

"The Saks on Fifth Avenue will be sufficient," she replied. A little shopping was much needed considering that although her bag's contents had been glamoured to look like clothing, it was actually packed full of weapons, the black box, and a chipped frame with an old photograph of her as a baby being held in her mother's arms.

She tossed the Downworlder a wad of cash as he came to a stop. "Keep it," she told him as she gingerly slid out of the cab and stood in the middle of the busy sidewalk. After taking a few moments to herself to take in her surroundings, she moved herself into the large store and tried to let herself relax. However, this to, was new to her.

* * *

The first time that Clary had laid her eyes on the New York Institute, it just looked like a dilapidated church complete with shattered windows, crawling vines, and yellow police tape due to the strong glamour placed upon it. But after a moment, her eyes adjusted and she saw it for what it really was, a beautiful gothic cathedral with tall spires stretching up into the bright city sky.

She stood in front of the Institute for a long moment, but didn't dare to attempt to go inside. Even though her father had kept her pretty well locked up at the family estate nestled in the countryside of Idris, she was afraid to risk someone finding out who she really was, especially so soon. And although she had only set foot in actual city of Alicante a few times, and only with her nursemaid, no one ever acquired her real name. No one ever knew that she was _his_ daughter.

Before setting off for her hotel, she looked back at the Institute one last time. Just as she turned the corner, she noticed a few kids that looked to be her age were walking toward her, covered in runes. _Shadowhunters_. Suddenly, she was very glad that her clothing covered her runes at the moment because she was certainly not ready to introduce herself to anyone, whether it be with her alias or not. So as they passed, she made sure to keep her eyes straight and tried not to make eye contact.

But she couldn't help herself. She had caught the eye of one of the boys and as she passed, he turned around to look back after her and she made the mistake of turning around to look back at him at the same time. For a moment, they locked eyes. He paused to stare, his blond hair blowing in the light breeze that pushed down the city block. She quickly put a finger to her lips and shook her head, her deep red waves twisting down her back.

"Jace, are you coming?" The other boy called to him. "What are you looking at?"

He quickly returned back to his friends, but not before looking back for her. "Nothing, I -," he started, but stopped when he realized that she was gone.

* * *

All of the clothing purchases she had made earlier that day had seemed to explode in the bedroom of her hotel suite. Like any girl, even after dumping every bag, she insisted that she had nothing to wear. And it isn't like Shadowhunters have a huge color palette to choose from.

After she was tired of searching through the piles of black garments, she pushed a pile off the foot of the bed to sit down. In her hand, she held a flyer for a downtown nightclub. _Pandemonium_. She had overheard a few conversations in the airport about this place, so she decided to check it out. And the fact that she had never been to a club before did not help.

Finally, she slid into a skin-tight black lace dress and pulled on a pair of stiletto-heeled boots that came just above her slender knees. New York Clary was so much different than Idris Clary.

She twirled around in front of the wall-length mirror, a wide smile plastered on her face. "Sorry, Daddy," she said aloud in a taunting voice knowing that her father would have never let her buy that dress, let alone go out in public in it if she were still in Idris. But then again, she wasn't even allowed to leave the family estate without a guard or nursemaid, and certainly wouldn't be allowed in anything like a nightclub.

She arrived to find a packed club and a long line of mundane teenagers wrapping around and down the block. She walked right past them, shoving her way to the bouncer who took notice of her runes and let her through the ropes immediately into the smoky, strobe-light filled building.

She walked slowly through the crowd of Downworlders and mundanes, making mental notes of the people around her and assessing her possible actions thoughtfully. As she pushed through and found a vacant table, her view changed to the dance floor and noticed a group of Shadowhunters in the corner. They looked familiar. It seemed to be the same three she had passed earlier that day.

A tuft of blue hair, about waist high to them, was being held down by what looked like an electrum whip. _A demon_, she assumed. And she was right. She watched carefully as they seemed to question and threaten him, but after a few moments of that and assuming that they were not getting the answers they had wanted, she let out a small evil laugh as she watched the blond boy raise his seraph blade to kill him.

She turned away as the demon began to disintegrate and fade away, but she could feel someone staring at her now. Eyes boring into her. She looked back up toward the Shadowhunters she had just been watching to find the blond boy who now had his eyes locked on her. So, with a smirk, she waved slightly and then moved from the table toward the hallway where the bathrooms were.

But he beat her there.

"Got ya," he said slyly as he placed a toned arm against the wall in front of her in an attempt to keep her from getting away.

Clary let out a soft giggle. "Got who? Me?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she pushed a section of long curls away from her face and smiled up at him devilishly.

"You think I don't know what you are?"

Clary's eyes slanted into a slight glare. She suddenly became super protective over herself. "I don't know what you are talking about," she stated simply as she wrapped her thin fingers around his wrist.

He looked down and smiled, loving the feeling of her touch on his skin. "I'm sure you have had plenty of dealings with demons, little girl." And after a few twists of her wrists, he realized that was not the comment he should have made.

"My name is not '_little girl_,'" she spat as she leaned over him, a heeled boot resting in the center of his chest. He was lying on his back underneath her all thanks to that comment and he was lucky that she was being nice. Many other ways to get her point across flashed through her mind, but then she thought of her father and the tactics he used, and she changed her mind quickly. _I am nothing like him_, she thought before she held out a hand to help the boy up.

"Thank you," he said in a quiet voice, brushing himself off. He looked up at her, noticing her tone and face had softened. "I'm Jace. And you are?"


	3. C2 Damsel in Distress

**Hey everyone (:**

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* * *

Clary froze. _Shit_, she thought to herself. The alias she had planned out so carefully was now missing from her mind which caused her to take a long pause before answering him. She looked down and closed her eyes, stumbling from a slight dizzy spell that had taken over her from her sudden nervousness.

Jace swiftly put a hand out to steady her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "It's just so loud in here," she replied as she placed a hand to her forehead.

"Let's get you outside," he told her as he directed her toward the door, making sure to keep a hand at her waist as if he was trying not to lose her in the crowd of the club. Once outside, he removed his hand and linked it with one of her own to lead her around the corner to a quiet alley opening. "The next time you're planning to injure yourself to get my attention, just remember a little sweet talk works wonders," he joked slyly with a cute smirk curling at his mouth.

Clary steadied herself, slightly chuckling a bit under her breath. "Sweet talk is not typically my strong suit."

"Well, I suggest that if you ever want a chance with me, you better learn."

She smiled softly as she turned toward him, her hand still in his. "Well, if this is your idea of romantic, I think I will count myself out. A dark and creepy alley? I mean, are you planning on raping me as well?" Her eyebrow arched, but it quickly returned to its normal place when she couldn't control her laughter. The attempt at severity definitely failed.

And she stood there, her hand still in his, and she wondered why she simply refused to remove it. She thought of just walking away, pulling away from something that suddenly was holding her hostage though it was not against her will. No where in her memory could she find herself being a needy girl striving for someone's attention or affection, she had given up on that a long time ago. Her father made that easy.

She surely didn't need to prove herself to Jace. He was a bit overconfident as it was. She didn't want to add fuel to his fire, but at this moment, she couldn't help but want to know more about him.

She attributed it to the fact of being hidden away for all her young life, for the fact that the only interaction she had was with her father and Jonathan, her brother. She didn't have friends. Never had a boyfriend or even a crush. She never met anyone she could possibly do so with. This made her feel so - _inadequate_.

But then it dawned on her. This boy lives in this city, and probably has for most of his life. His friends, too. She could gain valuable knowledge from them without given them much. She could be whoever she wanted to be. Make up a story about her life and get answers about her mother. They could help her find her. They could be her friends too._ It would be nice to know what it is like to have friends_, she thought.

Then Jace's voice was ringing through her ears and it brought her back to reality. "I am not going to rape you, sweetheart. Surely, you cannot rape the willing." His voice was soft, his laughter light. He joked with her, putting her at ease.

Something changed in her eyes, they became distant and blank. Jace noticed this quickly and he went to say something witty to snap her back when he realized that he still didn't know her name. "Sweetheart?"

His attempt was successful and she came back into focus. "I'm sorry," she told him. "I didn't mean to zone out on you."

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice laced with a slight twinge of odd worry. "You know you still haven't told me your name."

Clary studied his eyes. Even though she wanted to believe that he was trustworthy enough for her real first name, she decided against it. "And why is it you want to know my name so badly?"

Jace's eyes lit up, a spark flashing through them like a shooting star. "Nice to meet you then, girl with no name. May I have the honor of walking you home?" He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

Clary raised an eyebrow once again, this time no laughter to follow. "Take me home? To mine or yours?"

"Wherever you would like to go, deary. We don't have to go anywhere at all, if you like. We can just stroll around the city until daylight," he said with a wide grin. He started to move forward, their hands still intertwined, looking back to see if she would decide to follow.

She did. "You know what, you can walk me back to my hotel. If you would like, of course."

She had given in to something, a _feeling_, she had never felt before. A sense of wonder, curiosity, bewilderment. Something inside her, begging her not to let him walk away. So, like a little girl, she listened and followed him in the direction of her Fifth Avenue hotel.

Jace watched her carefully as they walked together through the street lamp lit sidewalks of the city. There was just something about her, something that pulled at him. An odd sense of comfort and attachment, it was like he didn't want to leave her side from this point on.

She was beautiful and dangerous in a way he never knew a girl to be, but since she was a Shadowhunter, he figured that was where the danger came into play. Her strength, her bravery. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly, but it was something that he decided he wanted to find out.

She felt it too.

There was something about him, so intriguing and alluring. He reminded her a lot of her brother, but where Jonathan lacked the high self-esteem and calm demeanor, Jace excelled. He had this sense about himself, he was confident and headstrong. It was refreshing for her to see such an independent person considering her brother always followed her father around like a puppy.

"The Plaza? Expensive tastes you must have, my dear..." Jace laughed slightly to cover up his sudden nervousness. He tried to shake it off, telling himself to chill out, that she was just a girl. But it wasn't working.

"I have always wanted to stay at The Plaza. I promised myself that if I ever made it out of Idris and to New York that this is where I would go. I just love it..." she trailed off, making herself stop because she was worried that if she didn't stop now, she wouldn't and then she would be telling him too much.

He smiled down at her. "Well, I have never been inside The Plaza, my lady."

"Oh, come on!" She took hold of his hand and pulled him toward the doors.

They laughed at they looks they were receiving as soon as they had made their way inside. She swiftly drug him by the hand through the grand foyer to the elevators and practically shoved him inside once the doors opened. "I don't think they liked you very much," she laughed as the doors closed behind them, leaving them alone in the confined space.

"But oddly enough, I don't think that you really care what those people think. Do you?" He smirked as the elevator began its climb to the twelfth floor, the elevator which he was taking up the opposite corner and trying not to stare at her.

She smiled devilishly. "I could have just glamoured you up and made you look like their president or Lady Gaga. That would have been even more entertaining." They both laughed, and she couldn't help herself when she decided to stare back at him when he wasn't looking her way.

Everything about the ride in the elevator was like a dream to her, everything moving in slow motion. Each move deliberate and planned out. Then, it all changed.

"Jace, why don't you come -," The elevator cut her off with a loud ding as they reached her floor. She sighed as she stepped out through the doors and into the hallway.

Then _it_ happened.

Jace grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back into the elevator. He pushed the button for the sixteenth floor, just a few floors above them, and once they begin to move, his fingers quickly smashed the "emergency stop" button causing the elevator to come to a screeching halt.

His hand was still on her arm as she lifted her hands to his chest to steady herself. He looked down at her and smiled before pulling her up to him to kiss her.

She could feel his smile on her lips as she returned the kiss with the same. A smile. It was certainly something she wasn't used to doing, but nor was kissing - this would be her _first_. A fact that made her feel inadequate and underprepared, and slightly awkward. She refused, however, to let any of that show. So, she kissed him back, soft and sweet, because she never wanted it to end.

But after a few moments, it did. He pulled away from her and pressed the button for the twelfth floor, her floor, again. As the elevator began to move, he kissed her once more. She smiled at him as the doors opened and she led him down the hallway to her suite.

When they reached the door, she fumbled through her pockets for the key and before she could find it, he had her softly pinned up against the wall. He left two light pecks on both her cheeks and one sweetly on her lips before pulling away from her again.

"I got it," he told her as he pulled his stele from his jacket and drew a rune quickly, unlocking the door. "Why didn't you just use yours?" He asked with a slight smirk twisting at his lips.

She reached into her back pocket, removing her stele and bringing it into his view. "Maybe I just wanted you to be my hero," she replied with a sarcastic wink.

He winked back, his smirk turning into a wide grin. "Well, I do love a damsel in distress."


	4. C3 You Can Trust Me

The sun was bright and warm as it shined down on the large king-sized bed through the massive windows of the hotel room. Clary's eyes fluttered open and she shifted softly to watch Jace as he slept. He looked so different in that moment, slightly vulnerable and calm.

A piece of his blond fell down across his face and she lightly moved it back into place then ran her fingertips along his cheek. "Good morning, sleepy head..." she whispered in his ear.

Jace's eyes twitched open and he smiled up at her. She was radiant in the morning light, the sunlight shining around her deep red tousled curls. She looked like an angel.

Suddenly his eyes were torn away from her when his phone started blaring an irritating ringtone which he immediately associated with Alec. He growled as he pressed the "accept button and answered it. "Yeah, Alec?"

Clary slid out of bed, adjusted her tank top, and headed toward the extravagant bathroom. She closed the door behind her and moved to the sink where she ran her fingers over the shiny gold faucet. _Guess I will shower_, she thought as she moved to the shower and turned on the water.

Outside, Jace was still on the phone with Alec. "I am fine, I stayed with... a friend."

"Jace, Isabelle and I are your only friends. So, what is her name?" Alec's tone was thick with sarcasm.

Jace rolled his eyes, sitting up in the bed. "Her name is Clary, but it wasn't like that. I will be back when I am back. You have no need to worry about me, I can take care of myself." And with that, he ended the call.

That is when he noticed that Clary was gone.

After a few minutes, she emerged from the bathroom, her fragrant perfume following her out to the closet where she stood in nothing but a towel with her damp curls falling down her back. Jace couldn't keep his eyes off of her, but she didn't seem to notice. She dug through the bags of her newly purchased wardrobe looking for something to wear and finally decided on a pair of black skinny jeans, a simple white V-neck, and her old lace-up boots. _Simple enough_, she thought as she made her way back into the bathroom to dress herself.

Jace sat motionless on the bed, still clothed from the night before, watching her as she returned to lace up her boots. He couldn't stop staring at the black bra that showed lightly through the back of her thin white shirt. That was until she pushed her long hair behind her, covering it from his view and bringing him out of his semi-dazed state.

His stomach began to rumble with hunger pangs. "Are you hungry?"

She laughed as she slid her arms through the holes of her leather vest. "Why, my dear hero, are you asking me to get breakfast with you?" She moved to the desk and picked up her stele, placing it in one of the inside pockets of the vest. "That is an awfully big step in our 'relationship,' don't you think?"

"Well, I am hungry and I don't think you really now your way around, 'little girl.' So, I figured that I should be a gentleman," he sneered playfully. He watched her as her eyes shifted and glared right through him. It was as if suddenly she didn't see him anymore, but someone else. "Clary? I was only joking."

She snapped back out of her daze, realizing it was Jace in front of her and her father. "Please don't call me that anymore," she said softly as she placed a small picture in another pocket.

* * *

As they closed in on the diner that Jace had rambled on about most of the walk there, she noticed a few people outside the doors, two of them looking oddly familiar.

"Is it time to meet the family already, Jace?" She pointed toward the two Shadowhunters standing about fifty feet ahead of them.

"That is Alec and Isabelle," he said, the sound of frustration plaguing his voice. He watched as Isabelle waved suspiciously toward them and tried to keep his emotions in check as they reached them. "What are you two doing here?"

Isabelle quickly eyed up Clary as Alec spoke. "Well, it is a diner and we happen to be hungry... and we both know that Izzy can't cook."

"Hey!" Isabelle elbowed Alec sharply in his side. "I can cook just fine!"

Jace turned to Clary, pulling her close to him, and leaned in for her ear. "We can go somewhere else if you want," he told her softly. He felt weird being so accommodating toward this girl that he had just met the night before. Typically, he was a "love 'em and leave 'em" sort of guy, but with her it was much different. He actually cared about what she thought.

Clary shook her head automatically. "No, no... this is totally fine! I would love to meet a few of my kind while I am here in the city. I never really got to have a lot of friends growing up with my father and brother. They were always so protective," she told him quickly, suddenly realizing she said too much. Although she didn't know if Jace had actually picked up on anything, so she changed her tone in an attempt to through him off. "After all, I can't spend all of my time with you. How else would all of your girlfriends get time with you?" Her eyes noticed a faerie inside the diner that was staring intently at Jace. "Looks like she is waiting on you." She pointed to the girl through the window.

Isabelle laughed loudly. "I am going to love this girl!" And with that, she laced her arm up with Clary's and led her inside where they chose a vacant booth. They each slid into an opposing side and started up some girl talk.

Jace stood there in a state of slight shock. He never had a girl dominate him like that, so effortlessly. She was definitely not like any other girl.

Clary watched out of the corner of her eye as Jace slid into the booth next to her. "So, what is good here?" She asked as the faerie she had pointed out a moments prior came to their table to wait on them. Clary smiled across the table to Isabelle who giggled softly. _A girl friend_, she thought, _that would be nice._

They sat and ate and laughed, Clary watching them as she joined in. This was all so new to her. _Friends_. People to talk to other than her brother. People who included her in silly banter and petty conversation. People who cared about her and wanted to know more about her. She felt, for the first time in her life, what it was like to have friends.

After lunch, Isabelle and Alec had split off from them and headed back to the Institute. Clary watched them as they walked away toward the one place that could possibly hold some, if not all, of the answers about her mother. She thought about the possibility of manipulating Jace into taking her there, but she wasn't quite sure if she would make it through the doors. Her father was a horrible man in the sight of the Nephilim, but she didn't know what they thought of her. They didn't even know she was existed.

"So, where do you want to go from here? I know you didn't fly the whole way to New York for a vacation." He had noticed the look of purpose in her eyes. He knew that the wheels were cranking in her mind. "I know you came here for something else," he told her quietly.

Clary looked up at him as they walked down the sidewalk unnoticed by the mundanes passing by them. "And how do you know that?"

"Here is what I do know. You ran away to New York with no one here waiting on you. I think you are searching for someone or something. And I have this ridiculous need to help," he told her. "Clary, you can trust me."

"I don't know that," she started, "..yet." She shifted her eyes ahead of her, walking beside him in step.

She had listen to him speak, staying quiet. It wasn't that she didn't want to trust him, but she didn't know him. They had met yesterday and even though she seemed to have an automatic attachment, she was worried that if he found out who she really was that she risked the chance of him disappearing. Or worse... that he would give her up to the Clave. And she didn't know yet what they would do to her, imprison her or pity her for who her father is.

"You have to tell me something."

Clary took a deep breath. "Fine, I _am_ looking for someone."

"A Shadowhunter, yes? Whoever is in that picture you carry in your pocket." His eyes lit up with a slight gleam.

"You saw that?"

He nodded. "I notice the little things."

Thoughts raced through her mind. She wanted to be honest with him, so she carefully picked pieces out of her story, a vague version, that she thought would be enough to satisfy him. "I am here to find my mother."

Jace's eyes lit up. "Your mother?"

"Yes, my mother. She left when I was a baby, disappeared from Idris without a trace. This is my first stop on my way around the Institutes. I thought that since this is one of the largest cities in the world, she may have come here. Plenty of nooks and crannies to hide away in," she explained. All of it true.

Jace talked her into going to the Institute. She was hesitant, but finally gave in.

Clary watched as he spoke the words to open the doors of the Institute. She memorized them quickly, wondering if she would ever be able to use them. "Is anyone even here?" Her voice was quiet as she glanced down to the cat in front of her.

Jace smile at the cat. "This would be Church. He is totally harmless..." his voice trailed off as he watched her eyes grow larger as they walked through the hall toward the elevator. "Alec and Isabelle should be around here somewhere, but their parents are in Idris for a few weeks dealing with matters of the Clave. The only other person that would be here is our tutor, Hodge."

That name struck her. _Hodge Starkweather?_ she questioned in her mind. Hodge wasn't a very common name after all. She wanted to ask it out loud, but she knew that would cause more questions to be asked of her.

It was all coming back to her. She remembered hearing of Hodge being sent to the New York Institute as his punishment. He was apart of the Circle. Her father told her of all the people who betrayed him, including her mother.

They made their way up to the library and Jace guided her through the doors, a hand on the small of her back. She could see Hodge where he sat behind a large desk, his face buried in a book, unaware of their presence until Jace let one of the large doors slam behind them causing Hodge to look up at him with a bit of disgust.

"Was that necessary, Jace?"

Jace laughed lightly. "No, I didn't actually mean to do that."

"It's fine. Where have you been?" Hodge asked, although he didn't actually sound like he was too concerned.

"Doesn't matter. I have someone for you to meet." Jace turned around to take Clary's hand, but she wasn't standing behind him anymore. He looked around the library until his ears caught the sound of her boots padding down the hallway back toward the elevator. Without thinking, he turned and made his way out into the hall to chase her down. "What's wrong?"

"I can't tell you," she replied angrily as she waited for the elevator to raise itself to their floor. After what was only about a minute, but felt like hours, it arrived. The strong metal doors opened wide as she stepped inside. "I'm sorry," she told him with a bit of sadness flickering in her green eyes as she pushed the button for the bottom floor.

Jace stood frozen in a state of surprise. He quickly snapped out of it and shoved his hand in the way causing the doors to open back up. "I am going with you."

Clary shook her head. "Jace, you don't have to do that."

The doors shut in front of them and the elevator began its decent to the bottom level. He looked over at her, taking her hand in his. "I told you, you can trust me."

* * *

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**XO RC**


	5. C4 Clarissa Morgenstern

Central Park was fairly empty for how nice the day was. Clary had pulled Jace deep into the heart of the park to a secluded vacant bench, far from earshot of anyone. With so many Downworlders around, she didn't want the word to spread that _his_ daughter was in New York through the rumor mill.

Together they sat on the bench, her hand in his. She searched his face before speaking. "I really don't know if you will want to see me again once you find out who I am."

Jace gave her a sweet smile and squeezed her hand. "It can't be that bad. It isn't like you are the daughter of Valentine," he told her with a laugh, but stopped when he noticed that she wasn't laughing with him.

Tears filled her eyes and she was overwhelmed with terror. "Jace..." was all she could get out. She sat still, her eyes glistening, her face hot.

"Wait. What?" Jace stared at her, noticing the streams running down her face. "That is impossible, Valentine is dead. And so are his kids. We were told they died in a fire after the Uprising."

Her tears were falling freely now. That was something he just couldn't stand. She looked as if she had endured plenty of pain and sadness over the years of her life and he wanted nothing more than to change that.

She took a deep breath. He hadn't run off yet, which meant either she could trust him or he was in too much shock. "My name is Clarissa Morgenstern," she started. "I am the only daughter of Valentine Morgenstern. I know what my father stands for, what he stands for, but I do not stand behind the same beliefs."

Jace just stared at her as she spoke. His mind running a million miles a second.

"I am a Shadowhunter and I want to fight with and for the Clave, not with my father. I believe in the good, I want no more pain. I do not even want to be his daughter anymore."

Jace was speechless. _That damn demon was right_, he thought. Valentine was alive, which made the possibility of him returning to find the Mortal Cup almost imminent.

"I am a runaway. I came here to find my mother. She left him, but I know she would have never left me." She locked eyes with him as she spoke, nervous as to what he would say in response. "I just want to be me. I was locked away for so long. I am finally free, but I am so scared of what freedom comes with. I am terrified that he will come after me."

He didn't respond with words. With both hands, he cupped her face gently, and kissed her. He then pulled her closer to him with his strong arms, running his fingers through her hair. "I will protect you with my life."

She stared up at him as the words he spoke resounded through her head. He believed her. She trusted him. It was as if he was the one she was supposed to find.

Her father had always taught her that love was nothing but a weakness and that the one you fall in love with is nothing more than your one mortal flaw. Love equaled death in his eyes. But maybe it didn't mean the same to her. Maybe that was what Jace was, her mortal flaw. _Maybe_.

Clary wasn't sure what to say in response to the promise of protection he had just made to her. But she knew that she didn't want to sit on that lonely bench for any longer. She came all this way to find her mother and to explore that world. New York might as well be the start and she wanted to see everything.

Without thinking, Jace stood up. He pulled her up with him. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

He smiled. "I am going to show you around. No need to waste this beautiful day."

"It is like you read my mind," she told him, wiping her tears away with a slight smile.

"Let's get you out of here."

* * *

After the long day of exploring and sight seeing, Jace and Clary made their way back to her suite at The Plaza with intentions of ordering room service and mapping out a plan of action on what to do about the search she planned to begin the next day.

As they made their way down the hallway toward her door, she noticed a pile of multiple large books in front of it on the floor. "What are these?" She picked up the top book from the stack as she looked up at Jace, watching him as a smile curved at the corners of his lips.

"Oh, the power of technology," he told her. He was mentally patting himself on the back for the fact that he got the books there before they had arrived. _Thank you, Isabelle._

She stood up quickly, dropping the book. "How did you get these here?" She suddenly became frantic. "You told someone about me. You told someone?"

He put his hands on her shoulders to calm her. "No, no. I just texted Isabelle and told her that I wanted to do some research on my father and the Circle. I told her that I wanted to compare knowledge with you and to just keep it between her and I for now..." Isabelle never questioned him either, and she definitely wouldn't now that she knows how much pull this girl has on him.

Clary seemed to relax as she pulled her stele out of her vest pocket, drawing an unlocking rune and opening the door. She watched as he picked up the books and followed her into the room. Since her mood had changed, she seemed to soften. "Do you want to go out on the terrace and go through them?"

Jace nodded and lugged the heavy books out through the large sliding doors. Clary followed behind him with a room service menu in hand, laying it down on the table to trade it for one of the thicker books in the pile.

She opened it up to a page in the middle and a picture fell out. She studied it thoroughly as she lifted it up into the light. There in the middle of the photograph was her father. Her father with a woman who had her arms wrapped around him, and another man on the other side of him. _My mother?_ she wondered.

She turned the photo over to reveal the names scribbled on the back. "Lucian Graymark, Valentine Morgenstern, and Jocelyn Morgenstern," she read aloud.

"Is that her?" Jace asked as he moved to her side of the table.

He picked up another picture with more Circle members in it. There was Valentine, and Jocelyn, along with Lucian, Hodge Starkweather, Robert and Maryse Lightwood, and Michael Wayland. _My father?_

Clary looked up at him. "Yes, and I know the other one. Lucian. He was my father's parabatai before he killed himself after he got bit by a werewolf in battle," she explained as she thought back to the stories her father used to tell her of the Circle.

Lucian was one person who brought her father great sadness, almost as much as her mother.

She snapped herself back from thinking about her father, though it was quite hard while she was holding this photograph in her hand. She looked up at Jace and spoke softly, "I am afraid that Hodge is still working for my father. He has always talked about having his hands working at most, if not all, of the Institutes around the world. And I don't think that I can trust Hodge. But what is worse is that he may know I am coming if my father knows where my mother is."

"That is why you didn't stay in the library. It all makes sense now," he told her, placing a hand on her shoulder and watching her carefully. He didn't want to press too hard with all the new information surrounding her, but he knew what he wanted to do. "Let's find your mother, Clary. I will do whatever I can to help you."

She looked over at him and smiled a sweet, trusting smile. "Are you sure you know what you are getting yourself into, Jace Wayland?"

He watched her as she placed the photograph back in the book and closed it, moving it from her lap back to the table. She moved closer to him as he opened his arms up to her. She snuggled into them and he closed them.

"Not to sound cheesy, but I don't care what I am getting myself into. This whole situation is crazy, but for some reason, it all feels right. Like it is what I should be doing," he explained as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Clary, I don't know what it is about you, but I know I want to find out."

She looked up to him and placed a soft hand at the back of his neck, pulling him lightly down to her to kiss him. "I feel the same way."


	6. C5 Steps of the Met

Jace woke up the next morning sprawled across the terrace chaise lounge. He raised his head, shielding his eyes from the bright morning sun, to look around for her. "Clary?" He called out her name, but received no response in return. _She's gone?_

Her boots were missing, along with her vest. He raised himself up from the lounge and pulled out his leather jacket. He looked around him, finding the book still on the table. But after searching through it, he realized that the photographs were gone. In their place was a note.

_Jace,_

_I am sorry to leave you here like this, but I couldn't bear to wake you. I made some calls and I think I got a lead on my mother. I had to go. This is my fight. Thank you for coming into my life._

_-Clary_

Scribbled on the back of the note was a phone number. Although, he didn't recognize the area code, he assumed that was to throw off Valentine. Just in case.

"I cannot let her do this alone," he said aloud to himself as he pulled on his boots. Then he picked up the pile of books and moved them inside the suite, locking the terrace doors behind before leaving the room.

He made his way out onto Fifth Avenue. Who could she have gotten information from? He needed to get back to the Institute and find Isabelle and Alec, knowing that he may need some back up and thinking about how crazy Clary must be for going to do this alone. She was a tough girl, he'd give her that, but she was still small. She could be easily overpowered. _She shouldn't be alone_, he thought.

He made it to the Institute quicker than he realized, probably due to the million thought running through his mind causing the time to pass quicker than usual. He knew that he couldn't tell Isabelle and Alec who Clary really was, but he was confident that they would help him regardless of the lack of information. They would never let him fight alone. And they would never let anything happen to Clary either, especially knowing that she meant something to him.

Once upstairs, he made his way through the long corridor to Isabelle's room where she was sitting at her vanity sewing extra pockets into the liner of a new jacket. Her long, black hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and she seemed to already be dressed.

"I need your help," he told her quickly as he stood in the doorway.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine. But I need your to help me find Clary."

Isabelle stared up at him in shock. "Jace Wayland, are you serious?" She smirked and set down the jacket. "Do you like love this girl or something? What makes you think she wants to be found? Hello, one night stand!"

Jace's mouth gaped open. "Shut up, Izzy. It isn't like that and no, I do not love her." He began to pace in front of her door. "She left this morning on a lead for someone she is looking for, but I am worried that doesn't fully realize what she could be getting herself into and I don't want anything to happen to her," he explained, his eyes laced with an odd sense of fear. He was praying inside that Isabelle would stop teasing and get up to help him.

And she did. "Let's get Alec. He is in the weapons room."

After a little convincing, Alec was all set and ready to go. "How do you plan on even finding her, Jace? I get that we know New York well, but she could be anywhere in the five boroughs!"

* * *

Clary sat quietly on the steps of the Met thinking about the events that had occurred over the last few days. She couldn't believe that she found Jace and he had become such a friend to her. Well, who was she kidding... more than a friend.

She also couldn't believe that she found more pictures of her mother to add to the one she always kept hidden in her vest pocket. Everything seemed to be coming together much easier than she had expected and she hoped that the lead she found through a warlock would lead her straight to her mother.

It was all just a waiting game now.

And waiting was exactly what she was still doing. She was starting to get annoyed. This is where she was supposed to meet some warlock named Magnus Bane and he was late.

She was just about to give up and leave when she was greeted by a faerie. She was thin and pale, very beautiful with light pink hair and sharp teeth that shown when she flashed a quick smile at Clary. "Magnus is expecting your presence tonight at his party," she stated simply and handed Clary what looked to be a handwritten invitation.

Clary accepted in gingerly, examining her name on the envelope written in perfect calligraphy. Then she looked back up to the faerie to thank her, but she was gone. Her eyes searched all around her, but the girl was no where to be seen. "Damn Downworlders, can't hold a conversation with a Shadowhunter to save their lives," she said to herself as she stood up and brushed off her jeans.

She slipped the envelope into her back pocket and walked down the stairs, her heeled booties clicking on the granite steps. In hopes that Jace had left by now, she headed back in the direction toward her hotel. She couldn't afford to have him around for someone, especially her father, to use against her. And she knew that if her father found her, that is exactly what he would do with Jace.

What she didn't realize was that Jace was not one to give up so easily. He had found her, watched her as she climbed down the steps of the Met, staying hidden so she would not see him.

And instead of following her, he followed the faerie.

She had looked familiar too, a lot like Kaelie. But he remembered her name to be Maegan after having met her before at Taki's.

When he finally caught up to her, he grabbed her lightly by the arm, which did not seem to please her at all. It caused her to attempt to use those sharp teeth and she turned around fast, almost throwing him completely off balance. "Shadowhunter," she hissed. "Don't touch me."

"Maegan, it's me," Jace said sharply as he dodged one of her skinny hands. "I need your help."

Her dark eyes lightened quickly when she realized who had spoken to her. "Jace? What are you doing here?"

"I followed you. I need to know what you were doing with the redhead at the Met."

Her eyes dimmed. "Um, Magnus Bane sent me on an errand for him. Nothing special. I was just to deliver an invitation to her for the party he is throwing tonight. You guys are coming, aren't you?"

Jace nodded quickly. "Oh, yes. Of course..." He looked back toward The Plaza, his eyes searching up to the twelfth floor where he could see Clary's red hair blowing in the breeze off of her terrace. She was safe, he thought with relief.

"Save me a dance then, Jace?" She smiled flirtatiously and walked away as if to leave him wanting more. Though she didn't notice that he obviously could have cared less.

Isabelle walked up to him, placing one of her well-manicured hands on his shoulder. "What are we going to do now, Jace?"

He turned around to face her. "Apparently, we are going to a party tonight."

This excited her so much that it caused her to let out a shriek of joy. "I have to go shopping. Come on, boys!" She grabbed each boy by the arm and drug them down Fifth Avenue toward some of her favorite stores.

* * *

Steam rose through the opulent bathroom as Clary stepped out of the shower. She moved to the oversized mirror above the sink and wiped away the fog with her hand. Slowly, she raised her head to look at her reflection, smiling with the happiness that she felt. She was a new woman now. Actually, she just felt like a woman period. She felt beautiful and sexy.

She thought of Jace and wished she could've asked him to go to the party with her. But she knew that all he would be is a distraction, and no matter how much she longed for one normal night as a normal teenager, she wasn't normal and she didn't get to have that.

She needed to find her mother. _This wasn't a party for fun_, she told herself.

After lining her eyes in dark shadows and liner, she finished with a few coats of black mascara and tousled her deep red curls out around her shoulders, letting them fall down her back. She chose a tight black dress with a few lace cut-outs and slid into it, fastening the buttons easily.

Then she threw on her favorite leather jacket and pulled her heel-heeled boots on, making sure to strategically place her stele, witchlight, and a few daggers in pockets of her jacket and in the sides of her boots.

The night air was thick as she headed away from the hotel toward the subway. Brooklyn, she read off the invitation that was stuffed into the envelope a long with a simple note.

_Clarissa,_

_I will tell you all you need to know tonight._

_-Magnus_

Clary crumpled the note up in frustration and look down at the invitation. All Downworlders welcome. Please no fighting. This is a night to come together and have a little fun, the invitation read at the bottom. "Oh, the fun," she said aloud.


	7. C6 Brooklyn

**Hey guys!**

**I looooove the feedback! Thank you so much for your support. I hope to update by Sunday if not before.**

**Hope you like it so far!**

**XO RC**

* * *

Brooklyn was dirtier than she had imagined. It was almost enough to tempt her to pull out one of her well-placed daggers while walking the streets alone, just as a safety precaution, but she decided against it.

The dark streets loomed with warehouses and factories, some with signs of human life, some without. She had noticed a group of Night Children wandering down the street ahead of her and decided to follow them assuming they were going to the same place that she was.

She held herself back as she watched the crowd in front of her make their way up the stairs to Magnus's apartment. She suddenly longed for a friend, nervousness washing over her body. Stepping back from the door, she shook it off. _I am Clarissa Morgenstern, I fear no one._

Jace was watching from across the street with Isabelle and Alec behind him. He wondered what Clary was thinking coming here alone and following Downworlders no less. He watched as she took a deep breath and made her way through the door. "It's time to go."

Isabelle smoothed her dress and adjusted her whip on her arm. "Are you sure you want to do this, Jace? She is just a girl."

"A Shadowhunter at that, she surely can handle herself." Alec added.

"Right, like we would ever let Izzy go up there alone." Jace moved away from them and toward Magnus's building. "I am going, whether you two join me or not."

Isabelle followed. "You know I would never miss a good party," she said with a wink.

Alec huffed and fell in line behind her. They made their way across the street to Magnus's door and followed some Fair Folk up the stairs. When they reached the top, Magnus Bane made his appearance with a warning for them to keep a low profile and asked them not to start any trouble. Which they obliged, unwillingly.

Amid the vampires, faeries, and other Downworld inhabitants, Jace searched for Clary. She couldn't be that hard to find considering she was the only other Shadowhunter there. _How hard can it be to find a gorgeous redhead covered in runes?_

Isabelle moved to the bar and waited for the lilac-skinned bartender to make her a drink and Alec made his way around the other side of the loft doing the same as Jace, searching for Clary. A few vampires watched them carefully, but for the most part, no one made an issue of them being there. Most of the vampires were worried that Magnus had invited the werewolves, so they didn't bother with Jace or Alec as they passed by.

Clary was standing in the corner waiting for Magnus Bane to show his face. That is when she saw _him_. What the hell is he doing here?

She quickly turned into the darkness of the corner as she saw Alec approaching. He hadn't seen her, but she knew Jace wasn't far behind. Alec passed by leaving her unnoticed, so she decided to make a move to another side of the loft. That is when she was spotted.

"You like the party?"

She turned around quickly, expecting Jace, but finding Magnus leaning up against the wall instead. "Have you been there all along? I feel like I have been waiting forever."

"Maybe I have." He moved toward her, taking her hand to lead her away.

* * *

Clary swiftly made her way through the crowd of Downworlders toward the door. She had gotten what she came for and she didn't want Jace to spot her. She had almost made it out when someone grabbed her arm from behind. Assuming it was Jace, she turned around.

It was definitely not him.

In front of her now stood a handsome vampire dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt. "Well, you're a pretty one."

"Thank you," Clary said quickly as she tried to turn back toward the door, but he wouldn't release her arm. "You can let me go now, I need to head out."

"I think you should dance with me." He smiled, baring his sharp teeth. He was not backing down, his grip on her arm stayed strong.

"Clary!"

Clary turned her head to see Isabelle waving to her. She waved back, using her eyes to show her that she was stuck where she stood. Isabelle nodded and made her way over to Clary, snatching up her free hand in an attempt to drag her away from the vampire and onto the dance floor. Surely enough, he released his grip as he glared at the girls.

"I owe you one." Clary smiled as she danced around with Isabelle.

Isabelle winked. "Not a problem. Besides, who really wants a nasty bloodsucker groping on them at a party. Ick!"

Clary laughed as Isabelle stuck out her tongue in disgust. She danced in a circle holding one of Isabelle's hands when she felt eyes burning through the back of her. _Jace_, she thought. And she was right this time. He was standing behind her, a slight bit of anger coursing through his golden eyes. But she refused to make eye contact with him, she knew he must be furious with her.

He moved in closer to her. "You best be careful with that one, my dear, seems he has had one too many Bloody Marys," he told her as he nudged her arm and pointed at the vampire who was still watching her through the crowd.

She laughed a little. "Bloody Marys?"

"Why, yes, they mix their vodka with real blood," he explained as he took hold of her vacant hand and raised it to his mouth leaving a soft kiss on the top of it. He watched curiously out of the corner of his eye to make sure the vampire got the point. "What do you say we head out of here?"

Clary looked at Isabelle who smiled and gave her a soft push closer to Jace. "I guess that is a yes." She felt no reason to remove her hand from his grip as he lead her through the crowd with Isabelle and Alec following behind.

Outside, the air felt cooler, a welcoming sensation since it had been quite muggy in the apartment due to all the party guests. Together, they made their way toward the subway. Jace kept ahold of Clary's hand, now intertwining his fingers with hers. She smiled up at him and he smiled back down at her, raising her hand to kiss it again. For how mad she had assumed he was earlier, he was in a much better mood now. He attributed that to the fact that she was safe and now under his protection once again.

They split off from Alec and Isabelle and made their way toward Fifth Avenue. She had to admit that overall the night had been a success. She couldn't wait to make it up to her suite and tell him what she had found. Maybe she did need him after all. Well, maybe she wanted him there after all. _Need_ was a pretty strong word.

* * *

Clary plopped down on the padded bench next to Jace, happy she had gotten to shower and to change into something more comfortable - a black silk tank top and matching silk pants. She sat calmly, her bare feet resting against cool floor of the terrace. "Do you want something more comfortable to change into, Jace?

He looked up at her. "You wouldn't happen to have an extra pair of pink panties, would you? Because that would just be splendid!" His sarcastic voice was playful, his smile bright.

She laughed at him and smacked him in the back of the head with a throw pillow. "I do actually. However, I was bored today and I grabbed you a pair of pants when I was out shopping."

She moved into the room and dug through a shopping bag still full of clothes, tossing him a simple pair of black flannel pants. "I just assumed that they would be more comfortable than your demon-hunting leathers."

"And I just assumed that by this point I should be allowed to sleep naked. Although I understand that my god-like beauty would be extremely hard to handle. It is okay, I forgive you." He pulled off his shirt, tossing it at her before moving into the bathroom. "I'm going to shower."

She gave him a thumbs up. "Good, I didn't have the heart to tell you that you were starting to smell." She smiled as she stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Yeah, yeah," he said mockingly as he shut the door.

Clary pulled the wad of paper Magnus had given her out of her jacket pocket and moved back out to the terrace with her laptop in hand. She sat down and opened the internet to a search engine where she typed in what was scribbled on the piece of folded paper.

_Jocelyn Fray, Brooklyn._

"Bingo." Clary clicked open a website leading her to an address. She hoped it was an up to date entry, but at the moment, she was just happy to have something. After she scribbled down the address, she closed the laptop and set it aside with the pile of closed books.

She didn't realize how tired she was until she woke up to Jace leaving a soft kiss on her lips before pulling her into him, his damp hair grazing the back of her neck. She was in the bed, but didn't remember how she got there, nor did she really care. He pulled her in tighter to him, holding her close.

And that is when she gave in, her eyes closing slowly.

_Sleep._


	8. C7 Girls Day

**Hey everyone!**

**Thanks for sticking with me. I am sorry it has taken me a bit to update. I promise more tomorrow!**

**XO RC**

* * *

Clary's eyes shot open wide as she woke to a loud, harsh banging on the door of her hotel room. She attempted to softly peel Jace's heavy arm from across her hip without waking him, but that was a pointless endeavor.

His eyes shot open just as fast as Clary's had and he stared at her as she slid out of the bed and moved to her leather bag on the floor, wrapping her slender fingers around a seraph blade. The banging continued causing Jace to sit up straight in the bed.

Quietly, Clary tip-toed barefoot to the door and edged herself to the peephole only to drop the blade to the ground and turn herself around. "Really, Jace?"

Jace sat perfectly still for a moment, racking his brain on who could possibly be banging at Clary's door. Automatically it came to him. _Isabelle_, he thought now remembering that he had texted her last night. With a huff, he got up from the med and opened the door.

Isabelle bobbed in, perky as a cheerleader, stopping at the sight in front of her. "Wow, you two look like hell."

Jace glared at her. "Well, aren't you a pleasant sight," he told her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, my dear Jace. It surely isn't morning anymore," she stated with a bit of sass as she closed in on Clary, placing her hands on her back to give her a soft shove into the bathroom. "Get a shower! Chop, chop!"

Clary stood for a moment in the doorway, staring at Isabelle before giving in. So she shut the door to the bathroom and from the outside, you could hear the shower as she turned it on.

Isabelle turned to Jace who had himself now leaned against the desk. "So, what is the plan again?"

Jace put a finger to his lips to hush her and shook his head. He pointed toward the bathroom door and waited a moment until he could hear the shower water begin to run erratically as if to be moving over her body. "Okay, I need you to get her out of this damn hotel room."

Isabelle smiled as she made a spot for herself on the bed, pulling at the covers around her. "I know I don't want be under those sheets," she told him with a giggle and a wink before getting up and moving to Clary's closet where she decided to organize all of the clothes that were scattered on the floor amongst the many shopping bags.

Jace frowned at her. "Knock it off. It isn't like that. You would have nothing to worry about under those sheets."

"So, you really haven't slept with her?" She watched as Jace nodded in response. "Aw, our little Jace is growing up so fast! You are such a little gentleman now," she teased as her eyes shifted to a photograph laying on the desk. "Who are they?"

Jace followed her gaze and looked down before reaching down and handing her the black and white picture. "The original Circle," he answered.

She examined it closely, noticing some people that she knew. _Is that my mother and father, and Hodge?_ Her eyes focused in on her mother. "I can't believe they were ever a part of this."

Jace brushed it off. "Isabelle, focus. I need you to take her out for the day, go have a girls day. Do whatever it is you girls do.." He stopped when he heard the shower turn off.

Isabelle looked up at him. "I got you. We will meet you and Alec at Pandemonium later?"

Jace nodded in response as Clary stepped out of the bathroom, her white towel hanging loosely over her black bra and panties.

She moved to the closet where she noticed that everything had been hung up and organized. Confused, she turned around to find a smiling Isabelle. "Thanks, Izzy," she said sweetly as she sifted through the clothes in search of something to put on. "What are we doing anyways?"

"Well, I figured we could have a girls day! A little shopping, manicures, pedicures, maybe even get our hair done at some big time mundane salon.." Isabelle smiled. "Wear whatever you want... It is a hot one out there though."

* * *

Jace watched the girls leave the hotel from the terrace. He saw that Clary had turned back to look up at him. He couldn't make out her facial expression, but he hoped it was a smile. He stood for a few more minutes, watching until she was out of site.

He changed back into his clothes, slipping his arms into his vest searching to make sure his stele was in the right pocket. Then he moved to the desk to retrieve his cell phone and dialed Alec.

It rang a few times before Alec finally answered. "Hello?" He sounded hazy and half-asleep.

"Are you at the Institute? I am leaving her hotel now," he said as he opened her computer to reveal the last website she had been on. Quickly, he scribbled down the address and closed it.

There was a rustling on the other end as Alec answered. "No, but I am headed there now."

Jace made his way out to the hallway, making sure the door was shut tight behind him. "Alright, I will meet you there."

Alec had beat Jace to the Institute. He made his way up in the elevator, then moved toward the weapons room and had almost made it there when he heard loud voices carrying down the long hallway from the library. Curious, he walked slowly and quietly toward them, hiding himself in the shadows of one of the large doors.

He could see Hodge through the cracks, standing at his desk staring intently at a man in front of him. "I don't know where she is, my liege," Hodge told the watched as he bowed his head slightly to the man.

"I know she is in New York, Hodge. I know she went after her mother!" The man was loud and overbearing. He stood in front of the desk accompanied by a slightly muscular blond boy who oddly reminded Alec of Jace. "Where is Jocelyn, Hodge?"

Alec watched as Hodge dug in his desk for something before turning his attention back to the man and his younger companion. The man was saying something softly to him, but Alec couldn't make it out.

"Yes, father," the blond spoke in response before heading out of the library and down the hall toward the guest rooms.

"She is in Brooklyn, Valentine. That is all I know. I haven't seen her since the Uprising." Hodge tore a page out of a little black book and handed it to the man, before sitting back down at his desk. "I can't guarantee that that is still her address, but it is the best I have."

Valentine smiled. "I will find her. And I will find Clarissa. And I will find the Cup." He took the paper from Hodge and called for the blond. "Jonathan, time to go." He watched as the boy returned to his side. "Any sign of your sister?"

"Nothing, Father." Jonathan followed his father to the elevator.

"You will contact me if she turns up here," Valentine called to Hodge in a demanding tone, before turning to the opening elevator doors. His eyes widened as Jace walked out of them.

Jace stared at him and Jonathan, giving them a simple hello, and moving out of their way of the elevator. He noticed the runes and simply assumed that they were just some visiting Shadowhunters. Not paying them much mind, he made his way toward the weapons room, noticing that Alec had fallen in behind him once the elevator doors had closed. "What are you doing?"

Alec pushed the door of the room shut behind them. "We need to get out of here. We need to find the girls. We need to get Isabelle away from that girl." He was rushed and worried.

"What are you talking about, Alec?" Jace glared at him, not to pleased with the tone that dripped from the words "that girl."

Alec took a deep breath. "That man was Valentine. _The_ Valentine."

Jace's eyes widened and he jumped up from the stool. He moved quickly to the elevator and out the doors of the Institute, Alec barely keeping up behind him. His eyes searched the perimeter of the Institute, but Valentine was gone. "Call Isabelle. Now!"

Alec stared at him. "That girl, Clary. Clarissa? She is _his_ daughter?!"

Jace raised his hand. "Call her!" He watched as Alec dialed his sister and threw him the phone.

Isabelle answered the phone pleasantly. "You are interrupting our girls -"

Jace cut her off, "Isabelle, where are you?"

"Bendel's on Fifth, why?" Isabelle could sense something wasn't right. "What is wrong?"

"Put Clary on the phone," Jace begged. He could hear the phone change hands on the other end and waited impatiently for Clary to speak.

"Hello? Jace?" Clary sounded worried on the other end. "Are you okay?"

"Listen to me, I want you and Isabelle to find the busiest store you can and stay there. Alec and I are coming for you." Jace heard Alec mutter something behind him and he shot him a glare.

"Jace, Isabelle and I are perfectly capable of handling ourselves. Tell me what is going on!"

Jace was growing frustrated. "I will explain everything as soon as I get to you. Stay hidden, please," he pleaded with her and he heard an unexpected change in her voice.

"Text us when you are close. We will stay hidden." She agreed reluctantly. "And Jace.."

He smiled. "Yes?"

"Be careful," she breathed softly.

Her words rang through his head as he ended the call. The subway was taking forever and his thoughts were moving a mile a minute. He turned to Alec as the train lurched forward. "Tell me everything you saw."


End file.
